Chess Conversations
by lunarstargazer
Summary: It is just another day at the host club. Haruhi is pulled into a game of chess with one of Kyoya's regulars. What starts as a casual conversation turns to acceptance and fitting in and Haruhi unwittingly sees through this customer's facade. one-shot


"You're late again," the twins said together, resting their elbows on Haruhi Fujioka's shoulders. "Your customer requests are backing up."

"Sorry," Haruhi said disinterestedly. "Doesn't Kyoya handle this stuff?"

"Milord has forbidden us to entertain today after the little prank we pulled on him yesterday," Hikaru explained, sounding cheated.

"And Kyoya has one of his regulars," Kaoru finished, and he nodded towards a table near the back where Kyoya was playing a game of chess with a girl.

"I don't recognize her."

"Takako Hatsuharu," they said together, though did not sound very interested by her.

"Second year."

"Superior grades."

"Nouvelle riche."

"Otherwise, Class D."

"What's nouvelle riche?" Haruhi asked, mumbling to herself, "it sounds familiar..."

Hikaru and Kaoru sighed in unison. "Ah, young Haruhi. So ignorant of our ways."

"The nouvelle richeare people new to the upper class. No real lineage, so they're all in the D class."

"Hatsuharu used to be as common as you," Hikaru said to Haruhi (she rolled her eyes, thinking "snobs").

"But now she's one of us."

They shrugged in unison. "Not very interesting."

"She only requests Kyoya, and all they do is play chess."

"She ignores the rest of us. Drives Milord crazy."

"Speak of the Devil," the Hitachin twins said together.

Tamaki Suoh approached the table exuberantly, holding a tray of desserts and two cups of coffee. "Would you care for refreshments, Princess?"

"No thank you," she murmured, her eyes never leaving the chess board.

"You should try this instant proletarian coffee. It tastes better than you think!"

"I have had it," she answered bluntly, shocking him.

"I'm sorry, where was my head?" he said frantically. "I wasn't suggesting—"

"Will you please leave? You are making it difficult to concentrate," she asked tonelessly.

"I…well…of course…" He sulked away and into a corner, mumbling to himself, "I didn't mean anything…just trying to help…"

Kaoru ushered Tamaki's worrying customers away while Hikaru cheekily posted a sign beside him that said "returning to earth in five minutes."

"I see that Tamaki has not changed since my last visit," Takako observed, moving a piece.

"Tamaki is a static character; he never changes," Kyoya replied, moving his piece without hesitating.

Hatsuharu took his bishop. "You are doing it again."

"Doing what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"You always let me win. That is the fifth time you chose a less advantageous move to benefit me."

Kyoya gave her his business smile. "It is the host club's duty to make our customers happy."

"I would be happier with a challenge. I would be inclined to come more often if it was difficult to win."

"I would not want to discourage you from playing with me," he answered smoothly.

She flashed a devilish smile that could rival his. "If you are not going to take me seriously, perhaps I should begin to request someone else? I noticed a new member to the host club since my last visit. I wonder if he knows how to play chess."

"Haruhi Fujioka, the first year scholarship student. Shall I call him over to finish this game?"

"Oh, well," she began uncertainly, not expecting such a reply. She felt as though he had somehow outwitted her again. "Yes, by all means," she recovered, hoping that this was not the reply he was expecting either.

Unlike Kyoya's nonchalant playing style, Haruhi was completely absorbed in concentration. She knew chess, but was not very good. As she studied the board, Takako studied her. She had heard of the scholarship student, but never had the chance to speak before now.

"You live in an apartment?" she asked suddenly. Haruhi nodded. "And you take the train to school?" Haruhi nodded again.

"Aha!" she said softly, moving her rook to take one of Hatsuharu's pawns. She moved immediately after, taking the same rook with her queen. "Erg," made the small noise of discouragement, one eye twitching.

"Doesn't that…bother you?" Takako asked as though it were a very personal subject.

Haruhi smiled reassuredly, holding her hands up in front of her. "Oh no, I'm not very good at chess. I always lose."

"Not that," Takako, wondering if Haruhi was purposely making light of the situation. "Doesn't the difference in social class bother you?"

"No," she answered simply. She reached to move a piece, but pulled her hand back quickly, conflicted. "I wanted to go to Ouran so I could go on to study at the university with a scholarship. Differences in social class are pointless," she added bluntly, and Takako twitched as though she had been stabbed by Haruhi's words.

"Even so," she continued more hesitantly, making only a casual move on the chess board, "aren't there times when you want to fit in more?"

"No," she answered, more bluntly than before. A vein of frustration pulsed momentarily in Hatsuharu's forehead. "Why should I change myself when I know there are people who will accept me for who I am?" She took another of Takako's pawns, but she didn't notice.

"But what if they are not the right people?" she persisted, moving her piece only to keep her hands busy.

"You mean the upper class?" She asked perceptively yet with no real intent in mind, "Miss Hatsuharu, could it be that it is you that wants to fit in? Is that why you only request Kyoya and refuse Tamaki's snacks?"

Takako Hatsuharu jerked back slightly, surprised. Haruhi had hit the nail on the head all three times. It had been five years since she and her family came into their money. She enrolled into Ouran, became a regular Host Club customer, and went on exotic trips with her schoolmates.

Although she did not have interest in the host club members like the other girls, she knew Kyoya was very influential among the student body. If he could accept her as true high society, the rest would follow. She rejected Tamaki and his interest in "commoner's" things, fearing that showing any interest, though she secretly liked much of it, would betray a similarly common background.

But she could still not shake the title of "nouvelle riche," a title that made her feel that she could never truly be part of the society she was thrust into.

"I am part of the upper class," she said with conviction, trying to recover. "I should act like it."

"Wouldn't it be better to act however makes you happiest?" Haruhi asked. She took another piece, but Takako completely lost interest in the game. "There is no right or better way. They may not seem like it, but people like Tamaki and Hunny and Mori will accept you for who you are."

'A back-handed compliment,' Kyoya thought, observing from a distance.

Tamaki looked up questioningly from his sulking, having heard Haruhi say his name.

"Maybe next time you could play chess with Tamaki. I bet there are a lot of things he would want to talk to you about. Your lineage or background wouldn't matter to him."

"Do you mean that, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked excitedly, appearing next to her, startling the two girls. She hesitated in answering and he dashed over to Kyoya. "Mother! Did you hear what our lovely daughter said?! Haruhi thinks I am accepting!"

"I think Haruhi meant that you are simple-minded," he replied coolly.

Haruhi rubbed her forehead. "Maybe he is just simple-minded." Her eyes widened as they fell onto the chess board. "Oh! Checkmate!" She moved her queen into the finishing position. "Thank you for the game."

As she stood, the twins hugged her from each side. "We're so proud of you!" they said together, referring to her first chess win.

Takako stared at the finished game. Somehow, she felt that Haruhi had outmaneuvered her better than Kyoya ever had. She tipped her king over.

"Checkmate indeed."

She slowly put the pieces in their place while Tamaki tried to pry the twins away from Haruhi and the twins taunted him in return.

"Haruhi," Takako said suddenly. The four stopped in mid-action and turned to her. "May I request you tomorrow again?"

Haruhi Fujioka smiled candidly. "Please do."


End file.
